Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-31
PROHIBITION In MAINE.
A STATEMENT AS TO THE MEAS
URE OF ITS SUCCESS.
What Neal Dow Has to Say Upon
the Subject-Quotations From
Party Declarations.

The following letter, written by Neal
Dow, and published in The Voice, is sub
mitted by subscriber of the RECORD
UNION, with request that it be published
for the benefit of our Prohibition readers:
Eds Voice: The Tribune of October 1Sth
in an article against Prohibition, says,
prohibition has not succeeded in Maine"
1t will not be denied, | think, that the
people of Maine know what the results of
Prohibition have been, and upon that
point they may be said to be nearly or
quite unanimous.
From the first year of its existence in
Maine the Republican party here has al
ways put the approval of the policy of
Prohibition and its support and defense
prominently into its platform. The Con-
vention of 1855, at which the party was
| formed, resolved: "That the existence and
execution of the Maine temperance law
is vital element in the organization and
life of the Republican party in this State,
and is one of the chief safeguards of the
lives, reputation, property and homes of
our people"
| From that day the Republican party in
| Maine has not failed at its annual State
conventions, to reaffirm its faith in the
wisdom of the policy of Prohibition and
| its unwavering devotion to it. | have
some of these deliverances before me now,
and | give them here. That of 1873,
says: Temperance among the people
may be greatly promoted by wise pro-
hibitory legislation, as well as by all
those moral agencies which have secured
to us beneiicent results; and it is source
of congratulation that the principle of
Prohibition, which has always been up
held by Republicans, is now concurred in
by so large a majority of the people; that
it is no longer party question, the Demo-
Gratis having for several years declined to
contest and dispute it."
The platform of 1879 says: awe recog-
nize temperance as cause which has con-
ferred the greatest benefits on the State,
ard we sustain the principle of Prohi-
largely suppressed liquor-selling and added
intellectually to the sum of virtue and pros
perity among the people"
The platform of 1880: Experience has
demonstrated the wisdom of the policy of
Prohibition as an auxiliary to temper
ance, and as contributing to the material
wealth, happiness and prosperity of the
State; and we refer with confidence and
pride to an undertaking support of the
same as one of the cardinal principles of
the Republican party of Maine"
The platform of 1882: ave refer with
confidence and pride to the general record
of the Republican party in support of the
policy of prohibiting the traffic in intoxi-
eating liquors, the wisdom and efficiency of
which legislation in promoting the moral
and material interests of Maine have been
demonstrated through the practical ami
hilation of that traffic in large portion of
thu State; and we favor such legislation
and such enforcement of law as will secure
to every portion of our territory freedom
from the traffic. We further recommend
the submission to the people of Constitu-
tional Amendment"
The platform of 1886: "The Republi-
cans of Maine, now as heretofore, indorse
and approve the law for the prohibition of
the sale of intoxicating liquors. The law
and its several amendments were enacted
by Republican legislators aud this Conven-
ton now declares, in answer to misrepre-
sensations in many quarters, that the gen.
eral effect of the prohibitory law has been
benefcent and has proved in a marked
degree helpful to the cause of temperance
in Maine. 1t has largely reduced the con-
sumption of alcoholic liquors, and has in
many ways contributed to the moral and
material welfare of Maine"
In compliance with the recommendation
of the Convention of 1882, probationary
amendment was submitted to the people,
who voted upon it at the next general cleo
ton, 1884, and approved it by majority
of Il ,075, the affirmative vote being within
a small fraction three times larger than
! the negative. This great result was OBJ
tanned in spite of party leaders, who did
everything in their power quietly to defeat
the amendment, because it was thought
that its adoption would embarrass the
party in new departure upon this ques-
ton which had already been entered upon.
Earnest efforts were also made by excel
lent men to persuade the people that such
an amendment could not properly be put
into the Constitution This emphatic ex-
preston of the public opinion of the State
was made after an experience of thirty
three years of the results of the Maine law.
| The resolves of Republican State Con-
ventions speak of moral and material ben
efits coming to the State from Prohibition.
| What have they been? In the old rum
time the people of Maine consumed as
much intoxicating liquor in proportion to
numbers as those of any other State. They
used to spend in strong drink the entire
value OF all their property of every kind
in every period of less than nineteen years.
The result was that Maine was the poor
est State in the Union. Evidences of I'M
thrift, of dilapidation and decay were seen
everywhere. We had many distilleries in
the State In that old time, seven of which
were in Portland, some of the large ones,
in the season of new molasses, running
| night and day. At the same time great
quantities of West India rum were i'm
ported. This came to us in many and
| great cargoes every year. Now there is
not distlllery or brewery in the State,
and there has not been one for many wears:
nor has puncheon of lum been brought
! here. | think, since the enactment of the
Maine Law, in 1851
In the old rum time, grog-shops were
scattered all over the State everywhere.
Every country grocery and country road
side tavern was a grog-shop. In our cities
towns and villages these shops were seen in
every street, occupying the most conspicu-
Gus places, as they do now wherever the
traffic is licensed. Snowy signs were dis
played upon these shops, advertising all
sorts of liquors on sale within. In all the
State there was no rural district so remote
or insignificant that the liquor traffic did
not find it and plant grog-shop there.
Now. in more than three-fourths of the
State, containing more than three-fourths
of our population, the grog-shop is I'M
known. In all our rural districts and
smaller towns and villages the liquor traffic
is practically annihilated
The leading Republican paper of the
State said some time ago: q In a large part
of Maine an entire generation has grown |
up practically unacquainted with the
liquor traffic and its results" 1t is common |
to meet here with men and women, many |
of them, who have never seen rum-shop |
or drunken man. | have myself met |
many such.
Some time ago Mr.. Blaine said in let
ter to friend; +" Intemperance has steadily |
decreased in Maine since the enactment of |
the prohibitory law, until now it can be
said with truth that there is no equal
number of people in the Anglo-Saxon
world among whom SO small an amount of
intoxicating liquor is consumed as among
tho t1oor,la Of Nfa,-av III L., I,ax-a